Railway car



c. HANKINS 2,043,615

RAILWAY CAR A Filed Dec. 12, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 l INVENTOI?, BY MM .t5 ATroRNEYS .C. HANKINS June 9, 1936..

RAILWAY 'CAR' Filed Dec. 12, 19:55`

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 whim Patented `lune 9, 1936 UNITED STATES y'PATENT OFFICE 27 Claims.

My invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to freight cars Vfor transporting in bulk finely divided material, such as cement and the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide improved means for closing the 'lading discharge openings of such cars and to render the openings substantially water-tight.

A principal feature of the invention consists in providing a railway car with a door for closing the lading discharge opening thereof and in associating therewith means for overlapping the upper face of a portion of the door which projects beyond adjacent portions of the car when the door is` in closed position.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a railway car having a hopper with a sliding door for closing 4a lading `discharge opening thereof, means being pivotally-associated with the hopper above the door affording a 'housing for one end of the latter when thedoor is in closed position.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing the hopper of `a railway car having a sliding door for closing the lading discharge opening thereof with door locking means for cooperating with a portion of the door which projects beyond adjacent `portions of the hopper when the door is in closed position, and in combining therewith a hood `or housing for covering the door locking means and the projecting end of the door.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing, in combination with a sliding door for closing the lading discharge opening of a railway car, movable means for housing an end of the door which projects beyond adjacent portions of the car when the door is in closed position, the movable means being arranged to prevent opening movement of the door when in housing position.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing means for supporting the movable means which is adapted to house the projecting end of the sliding door in an elevated inoperative position.

A still further feature of the invention consists in providing a railway car having a hepper with a door frame for receiving a sliding door to close the lading discharge opening of the hopper, the door frame having a portion projecting laterally from the hopper in which a portion of the door is disposed when the latter is in closed position.

A still further feature of the invention lconsists in providing improved means .for preventing opening movement of the sliding door.

Other and more specific features of the invention residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations Vof parts will hereinafter appear and `be .pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating .a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view Vof a Ahopper of a railway car adjacent the discharge end thereof.

Figure 2 is ya fragmentary end :elevational view of the construction illustrated :in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 3--3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure l, the cover or hood lacing omitted.

Figure 5 .is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5 5, Figure fl, the cover or hood being shown in section.

Figure 6 is a detail .sectional view Ytaken on line 6 6, Figure 5.

Figures 7 and 8 .are enlarged detail sectional views taken on line V'I'I, and 18-8, of Figures 3 and 4 respectively.

Referring more particularly tothe drawings, 'I indicates one of the hoppers of a railway car. The hopper chosen for purposes of illustrating the invention includes inner and outer side sheets 2 and 3 respectively, an end sheet '4, and an inclined floor sheet 5. 'The outer .side .rsheet .3 which usually inclines downwardly and inwardly from the main body of the car preferably terminates in a substantially vertical flange .6. Although the hopper sheets may be secured together in any suitable manner, the inner and outer side sheets may advantageously be formed with laterally extending vflanges 'I for .attachment by rivets 3 to the end and .iioor sheets 1l and 5. respectively.

The lower end of the hopper "is preferably provided with a frame 9 for receiving a sliding door 'IB by which the lading discharge opening of the hopper may be closed. The door frame which is substantially rectangular to conform with the 45 discharge end of the hopper may be advantageously cast as an integral unit and be formed with a plurality of walls l I, I2, I3 and I4, .for attachment by any suitable means, such as rivets I5, to the hopper sheets. The walls II and l2 50 which are substantially vertical are respectively secured to the lower portions of the inner side sheet 2 and the end sheet 4 while the wall I3 which is also` substantially vertical, is secured to the vertical fiange 6 of the outer side sheet 3. 55

'I'he wall I4 which is secured to the oor sheet 5 is preferably inclined so as to lie in a plane substantially parallel with that sheet.

Adjacent their lower ends, each of the walls II, I2, and I4 is formed with a laterally projecting flange I 6 to which means is secured affording a support and guide for the sliding door I 3. This means comprises a plate member I1 and a spacing strip I8. The spacing strip which is interposed between the flanges I6 and the plate member I 'I is of less width than the flanges while the plate member I1 is of substantially the same width as the flanges. Thus the plate member and the spacing strip together with the anges I6 form grooves for receiving the sliding door. The plate member and spacing strip are preferably secured to the lateral anges I6 by rivets I9 and some of these rivets may be utilized for connecting to the frame an additional plate member I1 and spacing strip I8 which form an additional groove along two sides of the frame to accommodate any suitable means (not shown), such as a boot or the like, for receiving lading as it discharges from the hopper. The wall I4 of the frame, whichis secured to the floor sheet 5 of the hopper and inclines upwardly closely adjacent the adjoining lateral flange I3, is formed with a plurality of apertures 28 in alignment with the openings formed in the flange for the rivets I9 so as to receive a tool for either bucking or driving the rivets. Lading within the car cannot escape through these openings as they are closed by the floor sheet 5 after the frame is secured to the hopper.

The door frame is provided, preferably integrally, with a laterally projecting portion 2I which extends outwardly beyond the adjacent portion of the hopper. This portion of the frame is formed by spaced arms 22 and a substantially horizontal plate portion 23. Each of the arms has a substantially horizontal portion 24 which constitutes a continuation of the adjacent portion of the ange I6 of the frame and each arm also has a substantially upright wall or portion 2.. One of these upright walls constitutes a continuation of the wall I2 of the door frame while the other upright wall 25, although being angularly disposed with respect to the wall I4 of the frame, constitutes a continuation of the latter. The plate portion 23 lies in substantially the same plane as the horizontal portions 24 of the arms'22 and serves, among other things, as a gusset integrally connecting the arms. The plate portion 23 is preferably not as wide as the arms 22 are long and it preferably only extends from the hopper for about one half the distance the arms project therefrom.

The plate member I1 and spacing strip i8 extend with the arms 22 beyond the hopper, being secured to the arms by rivets 23 and forming with the plate portions 24 thereof, continuations of the grooves which they form with the flanges I6. Both the plate member I1 and the spacing strip I8 are generally of U-shape but the arms of the U of the plate member may be advantageouslyrconnected inwardly of their free ends by a transversely extending plate portion 21 which is disposed beneath the plate portion 23 and preferably projects slightly beyond the latter.

The door I El is provided with an extension 28 which, when the door is in closed position, is disposed within the laterally projecting portion 2I of the door frame. This extension is preferably formed with a portion, designated 29, which when the door is in closed position, extends beyond the outer edge of the plate portion 23 of the door frame but terminates slightly inwardly of a line connecting the outer ends of the arms 22. So that the door may be easily moved to and from open and closed position, the portion 29 thereof may be conveniently formed with an opening 30 which is preferably of sufficient size to receive either a suitable operating tool or the hand of an operator. As this portion of the door may be subjected to blows of one character or another, to assist in the opening and closing operation of the door, it is preferably reinforced by a plate 3| which is of substantially the same shape as the portion 29, being secured thereto by rivets 32. This plate is formed with an opening registering with opening 30 in the door and it is preferably also formed as to abut the outer edge of the plate portion 23 of the frame so as to function as a stop for arresting closing movement of the door.

The undersides of the portions of the door disposed within the grooves along the side edges of the frame may be advantageously recessed as indicated at 33, to respectively receive rods or the like 34 which may, if desired, be of circular cross section. These rods engage the upper surface of the supporting plate I 1 and serve to maintain the door` in spaced relation to the latter. The inner end of the door is provided with a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion 35 so that instead of being relatively blunt, it is somewhat pointed. A door having its inner end formed in this manner may be easily moved into fully closed position even though lading or other material becomes lodged within the door receiving groove at the rear of the frame. Slightly inwardly of its inner end, the door may be provided on its underside with a transversely extending metal strip 3S which not only serves to reinforce this portion of the door but may also function as a stop for arresting 40 closing movement ofthe door. Although the door and the cooperating grooves in the door frame are substantially horizontally disposed, they are inclined slightly downwardly and inwardly so that the door will at all times tend to 4 move in a closing direction instead of an opening direction.

While any suitable and convenient means may be employed for maintaining the door in closed position, a pivoted member 31 is preferably em- 5 ployed for this purpose. The pivotal axis of this member is advantageously disposed so that the locking member will swing in a path transversely of the direction of movement of the door. By this arrangement, any accidental movement 5 of the door will not tend to cause the locking member to move into an inoperative position. The pivotal support for the locking member, which may be formed by a rivet 38, is preferably disposed substantially midway between the sides 6 of the frame and it is mounted on the lateral projection 2l of the frame. The inner end of the rivet 38 passes through the end wall 35 of an inwardly opening recess 4D formed in the wall I3 of the door frame. Encircling the rivet 33 is a 6 bushing or sleeve 4I on which the locking member 31 is revolubly mounted. This bushing serves to maintain a washer 42 which overlaps the outer face of the pivoted member 31 in spaced relation with the forward wall 39 of the recess so that 7 when the rivet 38 is driven member 31 will not be pinched between the washer and the wall 39.

The plate portion 23 of the laterally projecting part of the door frame together with the plate portion 21 which connects the arms I1 of the 75 door supporting plate is formed with aligned openings 43 for receiving the locking member 31 when the latter is in door locking position. Moreover, the door is formed with an opening 44 which, when the door is in closed position, is adapted to register with the aligned openings 43. Thus when the door is in closed position, each of the openings 43 and 44 is in registry so that the locking member 31 may pass into said openings and thereby function to retain the door in closed position. Although the locking member may be of any suitable form or shape, it has been found that a cam member such as is now commonly employed to lock the door supporting hooks of railway hopper cars in operative positions, may be conveniently employed.

Pivotally associated with the hopper is a hood Shaped member 45 which serves to span the Space between the upright walls 25 of the laterally projecting portion of the door frame and thereby house the door locking mechanism and the outwardly projecting end 29 of the door to protect these parts from the elements. The hood is provided with a top wall 46 which normally inclines downwardly and outwardly and terminates in an end wall 41. The end wall extends downwardly a sufficient distance to close the outer ends of the grooves in which the door slides. Thus it will be observed that should the door locking mechanism fail for any reason, the end wall 41 of the hood will when the hood is in its normal operative position, serve to arrest open` ing movement of the door. Inwardly of its side edges, the hood is formed with downwardly extending walls 48 which are adapted to respectively overlap the outer faces of the upright walls 25 of the door frame. The inner edge of the top wall of the hood preferably overlies the upper edge of the outer wall I3 of the door frame, and adjacent this point it is pivotally connected to the hopper by hinge pins 49 which cooperate with hinge straps respectively secured to the hood and the outer side sheet 3 of the hopper. The pivotal mounting of the hood is such that the hood always tends to gravitate into position for housing the projecting end of the door and the door locking mechanism. Thus, rain, snow and the like will be prevented from reaching these parts and thereafter seeping into the hopper where it would likely damage the lading within the latter.

Should rain, snow or the like seep in between the outer hopper side sheet and the adjacent part of the hood, it will drain down on to the plate portion 23 of the lateral projection vof the door frame. However, to prevent any water or the like which may collect on the plate portion 23 from entering the opening 43 formed in the latter for receiving the locking member, the plate is formed to the rear of the opening with a transversely extending upstanding rib 5D. Moreover, to permit whatever water which may collect on the plate to readily drain from the latter to the outside of the frame, the side walls 25 are formed with drain openings 5l.

When the parts of the mechanism are in closed position and it is desired to open the door, it is rst necessary to move the hood 45 into an elevated position such as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. After thehood has been thus elevated, the locking member 31 is then accessible and it may be rotated so as to move out of the opening 44 in the door to permit the door to be opened. In order that it will not be necessary for the operator to hold the hood 45 in an elevated position while he is opening the door, the locking member 31 is so formed that when it is moved into an inoperative position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, it will cooperate with the hood in such a manner as to support and maintain the latter in an elevated position. By employing the locking member to support the hood in an elevated position instead of some means independent of the locking member, it will be appreciated that no matter how negligent the operator, it will be impossible for the hood to remain in elevated position after the locking member has been moved from engagement therewith.

I claim:

1. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door for closing the opening, said door when in closed position being disposed in a substantially horizontal position and having a. portion projecting laterally beyond an adjacent side of the hopper, and means associated with the car for housing said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position, said means including a movable cover member adapted to overlap the upper face of said portion of the door.

2. A railway car having a hopper provided with 2 a lading discharge opening at the lower end thereof, a sliding door for closing said opening, one end of said door being adapted to project beyond adjacent portions of one side of the hopper when the door is in closed position, and means for housing said projecting end of the door when the door is in closed position, said means including a member mounted above the door and movable downwardly into overlapping relation with the upper face of said projecting end.

3. A railway car having a hopper provided with n lading discharge opening at the lower end thereof, a sliding door for closing the opening, said door when in closed position having one end projecting laterally beyond an adjacent side oi the 4=0` hopper, and means including a member pivotally mounted on the car above the door adjacent said projecting end for overlapping the upper face of thelatter when the door is in closed position.

4. A railway car having a hopper provided 4 with a lading discharge opening at the lower end thereof, a sliding door for closing said opening, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting laterally beyond an adjacent side of the hopper, and means for housing said 50 projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position including means movably associated with the car adapted to overlap the upper face of said projecting portion, said movable means when in overlapping position hav: 5 ing a portion disposed in the path of movement of the door adapted to prevent movement of the door toward open position.

5. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a sliding door for closing the opening, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting laterally beyond an adjacent side of the hopper, means including a pivoted member for housing the projecting portion of the door when the door is in 6 closed position, said member being movable into overlapping relation with the upper face of said projecting portion and having a portion adapted to be disposed in the p-athof opening movement of the door, and means for maintaining said member in an inoperative 'position to permit movement of the door toward open position.

6. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a sliding door for closing said opening, said door when in closed 7 position having a portion projectinglaterally beyond an adjacent side of the hopper, means for housing said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position including a member pivotally mounted above the door and adapted to move downwardly under the inuence of gravity into overlapping relation with said portion of the door, and means for supporting said member in an elevated position.

7. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a sliding door for closing the opening, saidA door when in closed position having a portion projecting laterally beyond an adjacent side of`- theghopper, and means for housing said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position including a member movable downwardly under the iniiuence of gravity into overlappingA relation with said portion of the door.

8. A railway car having a hopper 1 provided with a lading discharge opening, a door for closing the opening, means for'v locking the door in closed position, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting beyond adjacent portions of the hopper, and pivoted means adapted to cover the projecting end of the door when the door is in closed position, said pivoted means being also adapted to cover said locking means.

9. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a slidable door for closing the opening, said hopper being provided with grooved portions in which the door is adapted to slide, said grooved portions being open at one end, and means pivotally mounted above the door adapted to move downwardly to close the open' ends v.of 'said grooved portions when the door is in closed position.

l. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a sliding door for closing the opening, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting laterally beyond adjacent portions of a side of the hopper, and means pivotally mounted above the door adapted to move downwardly into overlapping relation with said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position, said means having a downwardly and outwardly inclined main body port-ion terminating in a portion intersecting the path of movement of the door.

1l. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing said lading discharge opening, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting laterally beyond adjacent portions of a side of the hopper, means for housing said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position including means movably associated with the car for overlapping the upper face of said projecting portion.

12. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing said lading discharge opening, means carried by the frame for locking the door in closed position, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting outwardly beyond adjacent portions of the hopper, and means movably associated with the car for housing said locking means and for also housing the outwardly projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position.

13. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having spaced arm portions extending outwardly from the hopper, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said door having an extension adapted to be disposed between said arm portions when the door is in closed position, and means movably associated with the car for spanning the space between said arm portions to cover said door extension when the door is in closed position.

14. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion extending outwardly therefrom provided with substantially vertical side walls, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said door having an extension adapted to be disposed between said side walls when the door is in closed position, and means movably associated with the car adapted to span the space between said side walls to cover said door extension when the door is in closed position.

15. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion extending outwardly therefrom, said portion of the frame being respectively provided with substantially upright side walls, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said door having an extension adapted to be disposed between said walls of the frame when the door is in closed position, and means movably associated with the hopper adapted to span the space between said upright walls, said means having downwardly depending portions adapted to respectively overlap the outer faces of said walls.

16. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading `discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and provided with a prtion extending outwardly therefrom, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said door having an extension adapted to be disposed within the outwardly extending portion of the frame when the door is in closed position, and means movably associated with the car adapted to cover said door extension when the door is in closed position, said means being provided with portions respectively adapted to overlap the outer sides of the outwardly extending portion of the door frame.

1'7. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion projecting laterally therefrom provided with a substantially horizontal plate portion, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said door being disposed beneath said plate portion and when in closed position having a portion projecting outwardly beyond said plate portion, and means movably associated with the car for overlapping the upper face of said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position.

18. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion eX- tending outwardly therefrom provided with a substantially horizontal plate portion, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said door being disposed beneath said plate portion of the frame and being provided with a portion projecting beyond the latter when the door is in closed position, and means movably associated with the car for covering said plate portion of the frame and for also covering the portion of the door projecting outwardly beyond the latter when the door is in closed position.

19. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper, and a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said frame having a portion projecting beyond adjacent portions of the hopper provided with a substantially horizontal plate portion overlapping the upper face of the door, the outwardly projecting portion of the door frame being also provided with substantially vertical walls extending upwardly from said plate portion adjacent the side edge thereof, said vertical walls respectively having drain openings adjacent their inner ends.

20. A railway car` having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion projecting laterally therefrom, and a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said lateral projection involving a substantially horizontal plate portion overlying a portion of the door, a wall adjacent the inner edge of said plate portion for attachment to the hopper, and a rib projecting upwardly from the plate portion and spaced outwardly from and extending substantially parallel to said wall, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting beyond said plate portion, and movable means for overlapping the upper face of said projecting portion of the door when the door is in closed position.

2l. A door frame for a railway hopper car adapted to receive a sliding door, said frame having a plurality of walls adapted to be secured to the hopper and also having outwardly projecting ilanges adjacent the lower portions of the walls, and means secured to the flanges affording a support for a slidalole door, and rivets passing through said flanges for securing said supporting means thereto, one of said walls of the frame being inclined upwardly and outwardly above one of said flanges and being provided with apertures adapted to receive a tool for bucking or driving the rivets passing through said lastnamed flange.

22. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion projecting laterally therefrom provided with substantially vertical side walls, a sliding door mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, means mounted on the said projection of the frame intermediate the side walls thereof adapted to engage the door to maintain it in closed position, and means movably associated with the car adapted to extend between said side walls for covering said first-named means.

23. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion projecting laterally therefrom, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing the lading discharge opening, said lateral projection of the frame being provided with a plate-like portion adapted to overlap the upper surface of the door when the door is in closed position, said plate-like portion being provided with an aperture, means movably mounted on the frame adapted to extend through said aperture to engage the door for preventing movement of the latter toward open position, and pivoted means associated with the car for covering said movably mounted means.

24. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a slidably mounted door for closing said lading discharge opening, means cooperable with the door for preventing opening movement thereof, and a hood .ff

movable downwardly under the influence of gravity for covering said means, said means when in an inoperative position being adapted to support the hood in an elevated position.

25. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door for closing the opening, means for locking the door in closed position, said door when in closed position having a portion projecting outwardly beyond adjacent portions of the hopper, and piv- 3 oted means adapted to cover the projecting end of the door when the door is in closed position, said locking means being engageable with the pivoted means to support the latter in an elevated position.

26. A railway car having a hopper provided with a lading discharge opening, a door frame rigid with the hopper and having a portion projecting laterally therefrom, a door slidably mounted on the frame for closing said lading ij;

discharge opening, said door having a portion within said lateral projection of the frame when the door is in closed position, movable means mounted on said lateral projection engageable with the door for preventing opening movement i,

of the latter, and pivoted means movable downwardly under the inuence of gravity for housing said movable means and the projecting end of the door when the door is in closed position,

said movable means being also engageable with 

